The Feudal Era
by o0Che0o
Summary: Inu and friends find a waterwashed Rin in the protective arms of a demoness.What ties does she have with time, Kagome's well and Sesshomaru? What is she hinting at between Kagome and Inuyasha and what is Kag going to do about her barely supressed feelings
1. Kagome Through Time

**A/N: Hey, this is the revamped version. Please R&R, Please enjoy. **

**Words: over 2000.**

**P.S.** Sorry for the shortness, chpt 2 will be a mega make up trust me.**  
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**The Feudal Era:**

**Chpt 1**

_Kagome Through Time_

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"I'm off now mom." Kagome called back behind her. Getting no reply, she turned and smiled at the sight which met her eyes.

Inuyasha was busy wolfing down as much ramen as he could, apparently ignoring the fact that Kagome's pack had at least a week's supply. Her mother was over his back, her fingers caressing his ears. Sota was on one side, running the fire rat haori through his fingers, while talking a mile a minute to Inuyasha's left ear while her grandfather did the same on the right. Inuyasha gave all the suitable nods, grunt or 'feh' where they belonged as Buyo curled in his lap, pawing at him to get his attention.

Kagome's smile widened. _'This might take awhile.'_

…

…

…

"I wonder what's taking them so long," Sango pondered out loud.

"Speak of the devil," Miroku remarked. "And he shall appear."

"Kagome!" Shippo shouted with joy.

"Mew." Kilala chirped.

The late comers stepped over the well with Kagome's bike and stuffed pack. They seemed ready for their journey ahead.

"Well, we're ready when you are." Kagome announced cheerfully.

"Well," Miroku started as he turned towards the village. "Counting Koga's three jewel shards, we only need about five or so to have half of the sacred jewel back together."

"Let's go then, the sooner, the better." Inuyasha commanded.

"We have to go to the village first Inuyasha, say bye to everyone and drop some medical stuff off."

**~0o0oo0o0oo0o0oo0o0oo0o0oo0o~**

_The female stopped on the building she sought, standing still and listening, smelling for the one she hunted inside. The shrill sound of a bell ringing broke her concentration for a second, but another second later she heard the voice she pursued out of the cacophony of a thousand others. _

"_Tenma!" It shouted, though it came to her as voices usually do from a far yet sounding near. The girl smiled, _**'Only a second more.'**_ And then it came again, on a whisper this time, though she heard it just as clearly as before, "Kurome?" She heard the wonderment even with the reasonable distance and disturbances between them. _**'Bingo.'**

_Her next thought was clear, and pointed as if speaking to someone. _**'I'm on the roof, find me.'**

_Something floated back to her, as if on a breeze, brushing gently on her mind though not truly entering, urging her to pick it up. She did, _**'Can I bring someone?'**

_She smiled._

"_The more the merrier, I always say." This time she spoke out loud, knowing her friend would hear her. It was through her friend's powers that they were able to communicate that other way, and though Ki complained that she could barely get a read on her, even though Kurome was not blocking, she always preferred to practice on her, ''_in case, I meet another mind like yours, so that way, I'll be better prepared._''_

_Kurome walked along the roof, till she came upon an area suitable for their meeting and was met by two others half a minute later. A boy and a girl. _

_The demoness rushed forward, her short, pale, candy curls hair trailing close behind her. They met in the middle in an embrace. "So when did you come back?" Ki asked her, her bright red eyes dancing in joy._

"_Um, just awhile ago, actually. I thought it was an opportune time for me to sneak out." Kurome answered._

"_And, how did it go?" Kurome knew what her friend meant and knew also that her presence there gave her friend hope, gave her the wrong impression. She looked at her friend's face, so very like her father's, the thought of forgetting the answer when it was he who had given it in the first place fled her mind as an excuse to keep the façade up a bit longer for her friend's sake, _**'Or maybe for my sake, too.'**_ She could see the puzzlement on Ki's face at that thought._

_She sighed. _

"_Kurome, stop dragging the moment, I really can't get a read on you, so spill already," She paused and looked over her shoulder at her waiting companion. "Or I shan't introduce you to my friend."_

_Kurome sighed again. "Doesn't make any sense anyway." She muttered._

"_What? Why would you say that?"_

"_Never mind," She took a deep breathe. "I didn't get it." She rushed on as she realized she didn't want to hear what Ki had to say on the matter just yet. "I even proposed a three day at school thing. They declined, they didn't even think about it – I mean, they said they did, but I know they didn't. This sucks. I bet they didn't have crap like this in the feudal era."_

"_You're right it might have been crappier." His voice was nice, really nice, kinda like Ryu's smooth and deep voice only it was gruff too, like how she imagined Inuyasha's voice to be. Maybe that's why she liked it, this demon's, no this hanyou's. And her smile widened, _**'Another similarity to the great Half-demon.'**

"_Ok, so I answered your question, you answer mine. Who's your friend?" She was never this forthcoming; she always waited to be introduced, always. Maybe it was the dejection from the council's rejection, or the fact that he wasn't one of the usual people she'd be introduced to, maybe it was her comparisons of him to her Inuyasha, she didn't know but she had asked and she focused on that instead. _

"_This is Tenma." Ki said simply. The boy had long unkempt dark hair that stopped at his waist, the end tied off with one of those leather bands Ryu always had in his hair. His eyes were violet, his face strong, his lips totally kissable, and a gold ball earring in one ear. He was tall, lean and toned. _

"_Hey!" He said._

_She nodded. _**'Oh yea, love his voice.'**_ "Hi, nice to meet you."_

"_And nice to finally meet you." He stepped forward, grabbed her hand and shook it. "That's how I hear you have to do it every time you meet someone."_

_She had looked at Ki, in confusion at his reply to her polite rejoinder, but snapped back around at the feel of his hand on hers. "Yes, that's true. But so far this first meeting had been different." He hadn't released her hand yet, and at her reply he went about holding her hand by the silver band around her wrist with his other free one and proceeded to directing her in one of those intricate handshakes she saw her brother and Ryu do everyday._

_He looked up at her, as he executed the shake, a smirk on his face. "Wouldn't want to revert back to the old again, would we?"_

_She smiled again and the denial of attending this school hurt her that much more._

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Kurome lay on her back on the curve of a circle design in one of the garden walls. _'That had been a year ago. Or a little over a year now since I meant Tenma.'_ She turned on her side. _'I missed his last birthday, but I'm going to get this one.'_

"Kurome?" She sprang out of her circle.

"Yes? I'm over here Aoshi." She called to her little brother.

"Dad says to get ready. We're leaving in an hour. Should I send up someone, or will you be fine?" The eleven year old turned the corner and looked at his sister. Kurome turned to Ryu, her ever present bodyguard, her friend.

"Can you get them for me in time? I mean in every colour, with the main ones in a larger amount and gift wrapped and everything."

Ryu chuckled, "When I finally give it to him, he won't need to buy any for five years, and if he doesn't throw them away after one or two use tops, he won't need to buy anymore til the end of his days. Let's just hope he still likes doing his hair like that."

he smiled and turned towards the house kissing her brother on the head as she passed him, her smile getting bigger when she saw the ritual hand movements between him and Ryu.

**~0o0oo0o0oo0o0oo0o0oo0o0oo0o~**

"It's been three days now and we haven't gotten anything. Kagome hasn't picked up on anything and there's been no rumour of anything weird or suspicious lately."

"I know, Miroku. Come on Kagome, do you want Naraku to win?"

"Of course not Inuyasha, but I don't sense anything."

Inuyasha sighed and sat down around the fire.

"We'll just have to hope that the next town will have something for us." Sango said. "Naraku had been restless last trip, he's quiet now. I don't like it."

"Me either."

"Oh, he's up to something alright." Inuyasha's said with gruff conviction.

Kagome prepared the meal as the three continued their debate as to the motive behind the youkai's silence.

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"Don't look like that Inuyasha." Kagome cajoled the heavily sulking hanyou.

"And why the hell not? We found nothing, Kagome, nothing! And that bastard Naraku hasn't been spotted nor rumoured. No Naraku, no jewel and even his cronies have disappeared. To top it all off your going home."

"Well, we did spend two weeks searching. I have to get back remember. I've got midterms."

"I bet the damn demon has the other shards already that's why he was brewing up a storm last time and this time he's so quiet. And here we are slacking off with you going home!" Inuyasha had continued as if Kagome hadn't spoken.

Inuyasha had some valid points but he was being a pit paranoid over them, first of all Naraku would come after them as his next move for their share if all the others had been collected already, focusing all his strength and resources to bear down on them. And he wasn't doing that which means his mysterious un-accountableness was due to something else. Which probably made it more suspicious and alarming. Better she and the others keep this from Inuyasha until she returned from her time, only then was she able to deal with it. She had to go back today; she'd already pushed the deadline. Hopefully Inuyasha didn't figure out what they had and come for her.

"Well bye then!" She jumped off into the well before Inuyasha could continue his ranting and stop her.

"Feh." He looked at the spot she'd disappeared in.

They obviously thought he was stupid, he had other more pressing and realistic thoughts about Naraku but she really did have to go back and right now because of how odd the situation was with Naraku, he preferred her to go spend some time in her own time. Naraku's absence usually meant that the other good-for-nothing demons would be out and about and he would have to protect the village. Kagome attracted enough trouble as it was to add her to a village that had that same attracting trouble ability and his spoon would be full and he needed time to brood on top of it all. His brother was also missing and he wondered if Naraku had found a way to get his hands on Sesshomaru. That demon had to have a thing for his brother. Inuyasha shuddered. Still… things were worrying him and having Kagome away for a while, while he scooped the village's closer vicinity would have to settle his need to get more shards for now.

Inuyasha frowned. "Kagome?" There was no answer. "If you don't wanna go just say so and don't waste my time wanting for me to change my mind."

The Miko eventually reached the top af the well and leaned her head on its wall wearing a very disgruntled look. "You think i'm doing this on purpose, inuyasha?" She asked irritated at the very thought and circumstance. "It's not letting me pass. And the least you could have done was help me out."

Kagome looked back down into the well, she was hanging in, deep in thought. _'Hmm, i wonder... no way...'_ She looked back up at inuyasha, "Maybe, i just need to try again." She looked down into the well, nothing felt out of the ordinary, and Inuyasha didn't seem to sense anything wrong. "Well, i'm off... again." She let go of the well's wall...

... and disappeared from the Feudal era into the well's strange night sky and into her own time._ 'Hmm, you seem to have a glith old girl. Or is my time running out...?'_

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She would get to go back soon and the fact brought on thoughts of the well.

Why hadn't it worked the first time? For a split second she had thought she was going to be stuck in that era, but her mind had shut down at the possibility before she could ponder it any further, laying it to rest until now. But she had gone through when she jumped down the second time. But what could it mean? Was she truly running out of time?

_'But all the jewel shards haven't been collected yet. Could that not matter anymore?'_

Kagome shuck her head, it couldn't be. The well was just having some lunar issues or somehting. Everything was fine. Her being there proved that. At any rate, she couldn't think further on it, little time was left and she had half her test paper to complete.

If it happened again, then something was there, otherwise, everything was fine.

She would see the others again.

She would see Inuyasha again.

And find all the jewel shards, getting back even the ones, the evil Naraku had.

Only then would she worry about a well, which not longer transported through time.

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_**A/N:**

**I've finnally updated a re-vamped version. Chpt 2 if already finished also but i need to touch up chpt 3 before i send that one out - that will be soon though, don't worry.**

**Anyway, i am _so_ sorry, especially to my alerters, reviewers, and 'favoured-the-story' [:)] people, sorry to have taken so long, i was severely separated from my computer and then i lost my re-vamps and then i got disconnected from internet and then i had more ideas to tweek my story with again. and so on and so forth, but then i got back my computer with an extra and then i found my back ups and then i got internet and fitted in the tweeks. **

**So enjoy. i hope.**

**Oh, and yea, my new name.**

**o0Che0o**

**...out.** until next time.**  
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	2. Secrets Uncovered

**Words: over 6000.**

See the promised make up. Feast, R&R Please!

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**The Feudal Era:**

**Chpt 2**

_Secrets Uncovered_**

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Kurome walked cross the carpeted hall to her bedroom door, already sensing the presence in her room.

"Young miss, your father sent me to help you dress."

"Why?" She didn't mean to sound rude but she wasn't looking forward to a meeting with people who practically ruled her life and this servant was just another unwanted and early reminder of that fact.

"It won't be the formal dress that was chosen earlier, but the traditional garb of Feudal Japan." The servant said sympathetically. Knowing the female youkai's aversion to these compulsory dinners.

Kurome sighed and attempted a smile for the maid's sake. "I'm upset about this, so they're lucky I like Kimonos so much, even the formal ones." She went through to the bathroom door and appeared ten minutes later, the door sliding smoothly and quietly back into place. Wrapped only in her towel she went over to the digital pad on the wall and punched in the numbers of her friend's cell.

"Are you going to be there tonight?" she asked when her friend answered.

"What? And leave you hanging with all those stuffies?" Kii's voice floated into the room as if coming from nowhere and everywhere at once. Even over the phone she sounded pretty. "Nah, can't let you have all of the fun."

Kurome snorted, "Fun, right."

"No, no, tonight, for you and I, it will be. So get off the telepad, so I can get ready and meet you there. If I'm not ready in time they'll leave me and then you'll be all alone."

"Lucky you, they'd never leave me." The connection cut off smoothly. During the conversation she had moved into her closet, the door similar to the bathroom's only a bit more transparent and put on the appropriate undergarments best worn for formal traditional Kimonos.

The servant woman came in after her, "Are you ready?"

Kurome sighed, "Yes, just cut the layers please."

The woman smiled, "Lucky for you we have an excuse to use only four."

"Thanks."

**...**

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"Hey Kurome, my present just arrived." Kii whispered in her friend's ear. They were both dressed in kimonos but Kii's had modern adjustments and styles added to it making it more elaborate but still beautiful.

Kurome looked up to see who she was speaking of and met Tenma's violet eyes across the room. She smiled, joy filling her being, she could handle everything now with her two friends by her side. At the bottom of the steps, the hanyou separated from his group after a small, quick round of greetings and made his way swiftly to the two beautifully dressed demonesses awaiting his presence. He could feel a couple glares on his back but ignored them and focused on his friends.

He smirked as he neared them. They smiled back at him, each grabbing an arm when he reached and pulled him unto the balcony.

"Ok, first order of business, if we get separated, and we will," Kii looked pointedly at Kurome, before continuing. "We head out here to regroup, 'kay?"

"Sure."

"Yes. Very good idea, girl." Kurome earned a smile from her friend.

"So how was the party before I showed up?" Tenma asked turning to face them. Kii answered, telling him in detail the whole thirty minutes that he'd missed.

"Tenma, is Lord Tezuka your father?" Kurome asked quietly. He was the man that Tenma had walked in with. The chairman of the council and who in her mind was her archenemy, though he truly was not, he was just the maniacal and unwanted controller of her life. What did she need a father for with him around? _'Man, that darn demon!'_ Though none of it, she hoped, showed on her face.

Tenma stiffened visibly, and turned to focus on her, "Yes." He sounded reluctant as if he didn't want to admit it.

She closed her eyes and turned her face away, opening them again and looking at the view out and below their balcony. Her mind and emotion ran all over the place, none of it making sense. She sighed.

"Kuromety?" Kii called to her.

Kurome smiled, "You know… that's a strange name for a dog demon. I'd probably never be able to live it down in the feudal era."

Tenma laughed nervously, "Yea, probably not." She turned to him and he continued, "You sure do love the Feudal Era."

'_I do.'_ She thought but now she felt like talking about his admission not her freakish fixation on a time long gone.

"It's a weird circumstance, but you're still my friend." She could see that they both understood what she was saying. "We can't help who our parents are, or the circumstances we're in."

"Glad to hear it," she could here the relief in his voice, he took a breath. "When I was younger my mom kept me away from him, and for awhile he respected her wishes and kept his distance. But then he wanted me," He shrugged, "I dunno why but he searched and found me, but never made contact, then when my mom died, he came for me, I didn't have a choice really; in demon laws, I was still a child and prone to the justice system's child laws, it was just me and him, my mother wasn't alive to make my how-much-odd years count, so I was stuck with the old man. Still am, though surprisingly he does act like a father. I'm his only human-blooded child and he seems, strangely enough, proud of that fact. My brothers, though way older than me, like me, which is good, though they hate to admit it for some reason." He shrugged again.

"Um—" Kii started.

"—how old are you?" Kurome finished.

"Soon, I'll be 117."

"Huh." They said in unison.

"I wasn't planning on telling you guys yet, but now wasn't so bad." Tenma started.

"Were you afraid we'd reject you?" Kii asked slowly.

"Why not, my father's the one who helps to ruin Kurome's life." Tenma said feelingly answering Kii's question, he turned to look at Kurome. "Every time I see you with that sad look in your eyes, I knew my father had something to do with it, and I wanted you both to know, but only thought I'd become a reminder of everything bad he caused you."

"Now he worries about giving bad memories or bringing it up." Kii teased.

"You're very nasty tonight, Kii." Kurome muttered her remark.

Tenma glared at Kii for a moment before continuing, "And whenever you talked about the feudal era I knew for you it was more than a place where it all began, more than the stories about our heroes… it was your escape. Your place away from the pressure and expectations of your life." Kurome looked down at her silver bands, beautiful but a constant reminder of her trapped predicament. "You could go away on adventures with the Inu gang - far, far away from here. That's why I brought you to 'the Museum' downstairs, so that it could be _your_ 'well'. And I know that sounds corny, but it's the truth."

Tears where in the girls' eyes and they all had a laugh.

"You know, of all the things I tried to get that look to leave her eyes the fastest or the longest - bringing you into her life, into our friendship has been the best." Kii said quietly. "I'm glad."

Kurome hugged her arms around herself and turned away, "I'm sorry for making you both worry about it so much." Her voice broke. No sound came from the two behind her, her words stupefying them. Tenma's arms went around her waist; Kii came around to face her, and wiped her tears from her face and hugged her too. Tenma rested his chin on their small shoulders.

"You girls are such sops." He remarked, they laughed.

"Hey guys." They turned to face Aoshi, breaking apart slowly.

"Hey, Len, what are you still doing here. I thought for sure dad would send you home with Eiji."

"He tried." Was all the little boy said. "Anyway, he asked me to call you guys in."

The three friends went in and sat down at Lord Shinta's table. First Kurome at his left, then Kii, then Tenma, Aoshi sat at his right. His sister peered around their father and looked at him strangely, "Doesn't it bother you that you're the youngest person present, even the humans are older than you."

Her little brother shrugged, "Nah, the food's good, plus I'd be all alone at home. In a manner of speaking, of course."

She shook her head at him, "Dad, can my friends stay at our table, or can I go sit with them?"

Lord Shinta put an arm around her shoulder and smiled, "They can stay, if their parents don't mind." He said in his deep baritone voice.

"They don't mind." Kii said decisively.

"Shouldn't matter, my father's heading this way." Tenma said. Lord Shinta looked up at the Chairman as he approached. The daiyoukai was the head of his family clan and a large clan it was, as even his ancestors bore no grudge to the human race, but he knew Tenma was his only mixed son.

"Lord Shinta." He greeted.

"Lord Tezuka, will you be joining us?"

"I would love to; I see my son is here already."

"Dad." The boy said casually in greeting which seemed to give his father joy, if his chest expanding visibly was anything to go by. Tenma scowled and looked away, his cheeks tinting up a bit.

Kurome studied the man, once again. He was tall, like his son, like her father. His hair was even darker than Tenma's though much shorter. His eyes were light blue, his face handsome.

He greeted her brother next then her and Kii in the same breath. "I haven't seen you two in almost a year."

"Ten months." The girls intoned together.

"Right, you've been keeping tabs."

"Wasn't very hard, sir." Kii said.

"We've only heard it like ten times tonight." Kurome finished. It was true but they had been keeping a kind of tab, it really wasn't that hard. He did rule her life after all; they would have noticed his absence.

More people arrived to join there rather large table. The prime minister, who that term was a human, was there with his family. And two other families, one full youkai, the other a mix, completed their group. Other tables began filling in a strange order after that, as if centred around their table which wasn't even in the centre of the room to begin with. But their table filled first, then the tables around and closest, and outward from there. The three friends even caught people looking at Aoshi resentfully as if thinking he shouldn't be there and the friends smiled, not caring if they noticed.

They talked and ignored the adults while they did their adult talk. Eventually, early in the convo, Lord Shinta switched seats with his son, so he could be near his sister and her friends and not feel left out. They brought him into their conversation smoothly, ensuring it was PG 11, and that he understood and enjoyed it, though in fact Aoshi-Len was 19 years, a very young child in Demon years. He was only waist high, very tall for his age.

Soon the main conversation issued forth her name causing a lull in their conversation for a second before they all simultaneously decided to ignore it and continue to fill Kurome in about the intricacies of school life. But then it came up more and more, the conversation turning into a debate then a heated battle, even people at nearby tables, the ones surrounded theirs, was now involved in the conversation. Somewhere along it Kii's father, also a high council member, had pulled up a chair to join their table.

"I agree." One of the humans said firmly.

"She should marry early, within the year." A youkai practically screamed, or so it seemed to Kurome, her face drained of its colour, she needn't guess who the 'she' was in that statement. They didn't even look at her, and the few glances she gained, it was as if the person were looking at a picture, as if to them she wasn't there.

"She is still a child! We should wait a couple more years."

"We don't even have a candidate yet." Someone from another table imputed, matter-of-factly.

"We have many willing suitors; it'll only be a matter of months before we narrow it down to one youkai. She could be married in four months even, if that was everyone's only concern." He looked at her father.

"She is too young, even by our standards." The human, the mayor, Kurome realized, spoke again.

"She is our only hope, the only female with the ability and we must _wait_?" The youkai who now had the floor asked his audience sceptically, "What if our chances are destroyed in our patience. What then, Mayor? What then, brothers?"

That silenced everyone in the circle; the whole room had been listening so the silence reigned for more than a second.

"That's true, councilman. You make a valid point." Another voted.

"How can you say that, father?" Kii jumped indignantly to her feet, identifying the last speaker. "You who have a daughter even older than the one of which you speak, how can you even think it." It was a shocker after hearing how young her years were in the world, she was a far way from 200 – marriage? She thought not.

"Sit, darling. This is too big for you to understand."

"Bullshit!" Tenma swore, "Who better to understand than the girl close in age who has the very thoughts and feelings, of the one you all speak of, in her head… literally." Mentioning Kii's gift with the last words. Kurome was still too stunned to speak; even her brother was shaking in anger. Someone who hadn't heard the outburst continued speaking.

"Maybe the solution lies in her pregnancy. We've tried everything else and they've failed. Everyone has thought about it, though it has never been discussed before."

"Hence, doctor, the issue of her eminent marriage."

"She has been tested and monitored all her life; it has yielded no results except that she can still bear a child."

"Exactly, maybe we will get something from her being pregnant other than the gift of birth; the solution to the infertility."

"Yes, yes, I agree. She should be married at least within two years."

"No!" Her father roared, standing up and knocking his fist on the table. His aura flared and some, demons and humans and mixed, flinched. Everybody froze. "She is still _my_ daughter, and I understand our dilemma—"

"I'm not so sure you understand fully, you are, after all her father." Her father glared at the offender and he shut up. The steel table, as was revealed by the corroded tabled cloth, had shattered beneath their hands by the enraged dog demon's fist.

He continued, "And you are free to discuss and deliberate your theories, solutions and however directions you want to go forward but I will not sit here and expose my daughter and her brother to such cruel discussions about her life. I have stood back and allowed the council to take part in her life, accepting your security measures as lack of adequate protection was how I lost my wife, sister and other daughter, but whatever decisions you all come up with, know that it will go no further if _I_ do not agree."

"Come now, Lord Shinta. Everyone else in every other clan can have no more children for over four hundred years now – no full-blooded child and your daughter is the only demoness with the ability to have children, have other females who can have children. For some reason it is a trait the females of your clan has had since the discovery of this problem. And she is the only one of your clan left."

"Why can't you see it our way?" Another rallied in frustration, desperation in his voice. "Try to understand—"

Kurome had heard enough. Throughout the conversation she had just sat there, her brother with his arms around her, Kii and Tenma flanking them protectively and squeezing her hand painfully.

She stood up, "Enough. I will not sit here and have you people speak of me as if I'm old enough to do what you all want me to do, yet act as if I'm too young to have a say, trying your hardest to bully my father, ignore my friends and talk as if I'm not here. For years I've been living under your rules and regulation, banned from school, from leaving home after 7 unless you all know of it and approve days prior and so much more, and it's ridiculous and yet I _understood_ and I _obeyed_."

She muttered to her father and made her way swiftly across the room and out the balcony doors into the night.

Kii, Tenma and Aoshi joined her a minute later. They stood on top of a skyscraper. Aoshi smiled and said, "Go sis, you totally rocked in there."

"Wanna race home," Kii suggested. "I doubt they'll leave you out here 'by yourself' for much longer. Even with the trashing you gave them. I'm afraid these people have no shame."

"Even though they _are_ ashamed of their time of discussion, they really are too desperate to leave you alone." Tenma stated levelly.

Kurome nodded and sighed, "I really do understand, but they're not doing it right. What's wrong if _I _chose… _when _I'm ready or old enough?" She shook her head. "A race sounds really good, right now though."

Kii smiled, Tenma chuckled, Aoshi whooped. "Try to keep up kids." Tenma teased, "Aaaand…Go!"

She dashed off, she was glad for this, she had needed to be alone but this was good, she needed to run, needed to escape.

"… _it was your escape. Your place away from the pressure and expectations of your life". –_

She smiled a watery smile. She knew where she was going once she got home.

**~0o0oo0o0oo0o0oo0o0oo0o0oo0o~**

_Everyone in the camp was sleeping. Not a sound could be heard. The night still and quiet. Only Inuyasha saw it; a glowing orb with two figures trapped inside._

_He jumped down, noiselessly, from the tree he had been 'sleeping' in._

"_Good, you're up." One of the two figures spoke as soon as they had landed and the orb disappeared._

"_We've a message from our mistress."_

"_She will come to you one night."_

"_Be ready and waiting."_

_He opened his mouth to question the girls but was cut off before he even began._

"_She will find you wherever you are between here and the village, so you need to wait, not necessarily here."_

Thankfully no one had been up to over hear their conversation, especially Kagome; he was sure like the last time she would just get upset about it. That still confused him, _'What was her problem?'_ All the same he had made them wait an extra night for Kikyo. And every night after, he waited. Every night. That's how he planned to spend his time until she showed. Every day.

It was late and Inuyasha made his way stealthily through the night. The forest was more foreboding in twilight but he had eyes only for what he alone could see; not that it would have mattered even if his attention wasn't taken up by the soul stealer that was leading him away from the campsite and to its master.

He knew tonight had to be the night.

Sango had suggested they make camp early, so they'd be able to search for dinner. They had taken long to settle down for the night and Sango had been the last to fall asleep and when she finally did, in his eagerness to get away he had attracted a spy. He smirked; he was going to ditch him easily. Shippo didn't see the reaper yet, his eyes fixated on Inuyasha. And he couldn't risk letting him, or he would report back to the others and to them the mystery would be solved. This was what caused his weird behaviour, after all. His passivity, his waiting.

Successfully throwing Shippo off his tail, _'Hush, kid, but I don't like being the prey.'_ He caught up to the flyer and seconds later they came to a thinning section of the woods. Kikyo stood in the middle of her swirling soul-stealers; waiting for him. A soft smile graced his features, how ironic. He looked up at her and found her looking back at him.

"Kikyo."

He stepped forward and stopped just at the edges of her creatures and it seemed to him they were a wall, a protective barrier that didn't block him out, just everything else around them. They confirmed his thoughts by moving away from the space between them and circled around the two of them. She closed the excess distance between them, lifted her hands and laid it to rest against his cheek. He didn't move. Her hands trailed down his cheeks, neck, shoulder, upper arm, lower arm, hand. Her next hand came up and she opened his hand by the time it met their joined hand and dropped two jewel shards into his hand. He just stared. She looked back at him.

"Thank you."

A tear fell down her cheek. "Inuyasha." She whispered his name entreatingly.

He caught her against him. She had been falling forward. She pressed her cheek against his hard chest and breathed. Usually she tried to let her visits with him be short if she had a say in it. It was because he made her feel alive, truly alive; it was addictive. She could not be attached to the feeling, not yet, not until she knew his choice; knew if his choice was her. She allowed this moment of weakness, she found she needed it. She breathed in his scent again. Life. He represented life for her.

She pushed away from him; her features indifferent. Though he didn't say nor show it, she knew it hurt him, even a little, but it had to be done. And she secretly took that to heart, knowing it hurt, she held on to it.

He was glad she was still there…alive...still in existence? He was glad. He looked in his hand. He now had her two jewel shards to add to their collection. They seemed to be collecting in pairs on this journey.

"Thank you."

"You said that already," She whispered, a small nearly imperceptible smile tugging at her lips. She feasted on his face, his voice the three times he'd spoken, his smell; memorizing as she always did. He took a deep breath as if to speak and froze.

…

"Demon_._"

"Inuyasha?" She called him gently, questioningly. His body had gone taut and his head faced in the direction where he had come from. A frightened scream went up in the air. It wasn't very loud, but they both knew who it had come from.

"_Blood._" A split second before he was gone he looked back at her. And she liked to think that in that look he was memorizing her too.

…

…

…

Inuyasha reached back in camp to face five accusing faces, Kilala included. He looked around frantically, searching the camp, sniffing.

"Where've you been?"

"Where's the demon?" Their questions overlapped.

"Where did you disappear to Inuyasha?" Shippo asked.

"There's a—"

"Stop changing the subject Inuyasha. Tell us where you went."

"There is a demon—"

"There is no demon, now answer the question."

Inuyasha relaxed, oh he smelt a demon all right, he could sense its presence a lot more clearly now and it could wait. He crossed his arms, "So there is no demon?"

"No, that's what we've been telling you." Kagome said angrily. Inuyasha looked pointedly at Miroku's staff, it was lying at his feet, but most importantly it was pointing in the area where he'd already deduced the demon to be. Right. No demon. Got it. "Just admit that you went to see Kikyo."

He opened his mouth to argue, to deny it. Nothing came out; he tried again, "It shouldn't matter if you don't care. I heard a scream."

"A ploy. Shippo was following you and he came back after loosing you and woke us up to tell us." Huh, he didn't think they'd have the balls to admit it. "We couldn't wait til you got back."

Now he was angry. First they were accusing him of seeing Kikyo as if it were a crime and he wasn't allowed; second they decided that because they couldn't _wait_ they would lure him away from his supposed rendezvous with a 'criminal' by faking an attack. Then hold a trial about it. Where was this all coming from? It was his business if he wanted to see the girl he loved, the first girl he's ever loved, who's ever showed him any kindness, his alone, unless it involved his or any of their possible deaths. He was not one of those dogs in Kagome's time; he growled.

Then they all started talking at once.

"How can you keep going away in secret to her –?"

"— Mew—"

"—You need to do better than that Inu—"

"— Mew—"

"—something could have happened while you were away—" He remembered, then, their demon audience, he'd forgotten, he palm faced himself.

"— Mew—"

"—you always sneak away, like some criminal—"

"— Mew—"

"You need to consider Kagome's feelings Inuyasha and our own."

He growled again, he couldn't deal with this; he dropped the jewel shards on the ground in front of the semi-circle jury and jumped over their heads into the bushes. Shippo grabbed up the shards and held them triumphantly over his head, "Aha, proof!"

They turned in the direction he had gone in and a short man, no demon, came out of the bushes, Inuyasha close behind him.

Silence.

The demon shook his head, "Hmm-mm, I expected better from the Inu-gang – quite a catching name though actually." Inuyasha frowned. The man continued, "The followers ganging up on their leader – I sense a rebellion. Not good, not good at all." The short demon sat down around the relit campfire, making himself at home. He turned to Inuyasha. "Master Inuyasha what is your plan on stumping out their over active and rebellious spirit." Inuyasha's frown deepened, head now bowed, eyes distant.

"Um, Sir, you have this all wrong. Inuyasha isn't really our leader."

"Is that so," There was a general movement of agreement, "Nonsense!" His sudden exclamation shocked them, Inuyasha looked up. "All males of the Inu-daiyoukai clans are leaders of their own group, with one great leader as head of the packs, for example the oldest or most powerful father. Let us use Master Inuyasha's family as an example, Inutaisho, born for the role also earned it, by being the best. He was the most powerful and now his sons will soon take over the title. So surely he is the leader of this group, unless he is not really a part of it at all."

They were stunned.

"Who are you?" Inuyasha asked suspicious, curious.

"Oh, that's right, you won't remember me. I am Kotsuku."

"The old man seems to have an attraction for short followers." Inuyasha said without malice, glad his sense of smell hadn't failed him, though he didn't remember meeting, seeing or anything with this demon.

"Oh, this is not how I usually appear. I have come to you on behalf of a village in need. I have made my home there and would loathe its destruction." As he spoke he changed into a young human looking boy around fourteen. His eyes showed years of wisdom that didn't belong on his face, making it seem out of place. There was an Adam's apple working at his throat before it settled. They were shocked. Inuyasha crouched in front of the 'boy'.

"Why come to us?"

"Because Lord Sesshomaru, as you can guess," he motioned to himself, "will not help humans. And I only go to my master's sons for help, and while I used to share some of master Sesshomaru's… disdain… I now share yours. Though I've never had a problem with you being what you are, it could not be avoided. Just being the son of Lord Inutaisho, makes you gain my respect, whether you earned it or not."

Inuyasha turned his head away, "Feh. That bastard probably couldn't help you anyway."

"Besides," Kotsuku continued, as if Inuyasha had not spoken disrespectfully of his older brother. "Your reputations precede you."

"Huh."

"So is that a 'yes', Master Inuyasha?" The little boy said in his old man's voice.

"Yeah." Inuyasha stood up and faced the others, "So I'm going to help him."

Kagome tilted her head, "You say that as if you're going to go alone."

"Well you said it yourself; I'm not your leader so I'm not really with you. Besides, there's no way I'm going to let my old man look bad with you people around when he is, its bad enough I'm only half-demon. And I won't let Sesshomaru look better than me."

"But Young master Inuyasha, nothing is wrong with the way you are." And with the way Kotsuku was looking at him it was obvious to everyone present that he truly believed that. Inuyasha sighed.

"Feh. Let's go." He made to leave.

"We're not letting you go alone, Inuyasha." Miroku said.

"Yes, we're coming with you." Kagome backed-up decisively, "As if there was another option we'd consider." Sango was already on Kilala's back, ready and waiting.

"Thought you guys were angry or something. I was giving you the easy way out."

"Not getting away so easily, Inuyasha."

"I said 'you', Shippo not 'me'!" Inuyasha shouted indignantly, quite affronted by the obvious misinterpretation.

Kotsuku looked fondly on at the scene, pride radiating whenever his eyes landed on Inuyasha. Everyone noticed at some point and they wondered at it. It looked quite misplaced on a young human boy's face.

"Well then, follow me, and I shall fill you in on my poor village's woeful tale on our journey." He was quite dramatic wasn't he, but they'd find out whether the situation deserved it or not.

He took off agilely on all fours, his body undulating as he went swiftly leading them to their unknown destination. Very misplaced for a little 'human' boy. Why he chose this disguise they'd probably never know. Kagome hopped on to Inuyasha's back and held on as he caught up to the others.

"I hope we'll find some jewel shards from this or at least get some leads on where to find more. Counting Kagome's two and Kikyo' two we might be in the lead for the sacred jewel, but we haven't reached half yet. But it's still more than we had hoped for on this journey." Sango stated.

Miroku nodded and Kagome looked back to where they had come from.

When they reached the quaint village nestled comfortably between two hills, Kotsuku had told them all he knew. A week ago the village's youths began disappearing, some showing up, most never returning. The ones who showed suffered from memory lost, and were no help to the villagers as to the location of the others. The people were fast on methods of rescue and called for foreign aid. No external help were able to solve anything or uncover any leads for anybody new to work on. One foreigner had been deeply depressed by the mystery and lamented expressing the need for a demon, thinking it the only way, and so had further deduced that it was a lost cause, that the villagers should give up and hold on to what they had left.

They were now their only other choice. And should they fail, the villagers would try no longer to receive their lost.

"By the way, one last thing, I'm known as Kosume here." Kotsuku informed them; they nodded, they got it. "Now about this, we'd like to start as soon as you're able."

"We can start now," Miroku turned to his friends, "This may just be the doing of a demon."

"It may be Naraku." Sango suggested.

"What do you suggest?" Kagome asked.

"First you said this may be a demon, and then you suggested Naraku, so hold that thought. I'll be with you in a little while." Inuyasha moved off from the rest of the group.

"Follow me, and I will take you to where you will be staying." Kotsuku beckoned to the others. They followed behind Kotsuku, Kagome and Shippo now on the two-tailed cat demon's back with Miroku and Sango.

They walked to a board building near the town square. Inside they met the family who owned the inn, the family Kotsuku had been a part of for seven years. After necessary introductions were made, they all congregated in the dining hall to await Inuyasha's return. The owner's wife along with Kotsuku left to get a meal prepared.

"I don't have a child missing. Kosume is our only child, my wife… my wife isn't able to..." Kagome put her hands on the stammering man.

"We understand."

"Do you think...? I mean, we love Kosume, but we never had him from birth… and we don't blame him, you know," The man sighed.

"It's ok," Kagome assured.

"It's just that I've heard a lot about you all, bits and pieces and some even from Kosume." He looked pointedly at Kagome.

"I'll talk with her and see what can be done." Kagome volunteered. "Though don't get your hopes up, there may be nothing I can do."

"Um, is-is it true, about there being a hanyou leading your group." The innkeeper queried next.

Kagome sighed, when she thought of it, yes, it was true, Inuyasha was their leader, he had brought them all together, keep them together and protected them, he protected her, but when they were asked their natural answer was a 'no' after all they never really thought of it or talked about it.

Inuyasha entered, "Well, it's not Naraku, and I haven't smelt or sensed any demonic auras."

"And since entering the village perimeter and the village itself I haven't gotten anything either."

"I haven't sensed any jewel shards here either."

"So I suggest we wait." Miroku suggested.

"Good idea," Inuyasha added.

"We are, after all, strong able bodied youths. Fit and usable, with a powerful hanyou in tow." Miroku said this rather loudly and enthusiastically.

"What's wrong with you, monk?"

Miroku shrugged, "I'm just encouraging our elusive snatcher, Inuyasha."

"Right, you do that." Inuyasha said, lifting his head and sniffing. "Just make sure he doesn't come before I've finished eating."

"Food's ready." The innkeeper's wife and Kotsuku together brought in the evenings meal.

"Right, I'll relay the message, Master Inuyasha."

"Right, you do that." Inuyasha said between mouthfuls. The others joined him.

…

…

…

Kagome's eyes blinked open. Sacred jewel shard. Her eyes focused on the gold of Inuyasha's irises.

"The—there's a jewel shard. I can sense a jewel shard, but it's far."

"Lead us to it." Kagome looked at Miroku.

"Okay, this way. It's really kind of far, I mean, I've never sensed one so far away before."

* * *

**A/N: Next chapter… 3**

**o0Che0o**

**...out. **til next time, of course!**  
**


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